THE VIRUNGA RANGE – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

mgahigaThe Virunga range which derives its name from a local Kinyarwanda word Ibirunga is positioned in the north of Lake Kivu in the east-central Africa stretching for 80km (50 miles) along the Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo boarder and is famously encountered by travellers undertaking safari holidays in Uganda and Rwanda. The Virunga range stretches from east to west direction perpendicular to the rift valley where Lake Kivu and Lake Edward thrive. The Virunga range is a big block that comprises of series of volcanic mountains that number to eight including; the highest Karisimbi (4,507m) shared by Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by Mount Mikeno (4,437m) in Democratic Republic of Congo, Mount Muhabura (4,127m) shared by Uganda and Rwanda, Mount Bisoke (3,711m) shared by Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, Mount Sabyinyo (3,674m) shared by Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo, Mount Gahinga (3,474m) shared by Uganda and Rwanda, Mount Nyiragongo (3,470m) and Mount Nyamulagira (3,058m) in Democratic Republic of Congo.
The six of these Volcanic Mountains that form the Virunga range are extinct with Sabyinyo and Mikeno being the oldest dating back to the beginning of the Pleistocene Epoch about 2,600,000 - 11,700 years ago evidenced by the disappearance of their craters and the jagged peaks that have for long suffered the effects of denudation forces. In fact, Mount Sabyinyo is preferred for Volcano climbing by travellers on safari tours in Uganda due to its series of peaks. Mount Karisimbi, Gahinga, Muhabura and Bisoke appeared towards the end of the Pleistocene epoch approximately 900,000 to 130,000 years ago. Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira emerged about 20,000 years ago at the western end of the Virunga range thus being the last volcanoes to be formed and are still active with extensive craters. For example Nyiragongo has a crater of 1.2km with liquid lava pool which prompted the famous eruptions of 1912, 1938, 1948, the 1970s, and 2002 which destroyed the greater part of Goma city in the Democratic Republic of Congo leaving enormous people homeless.
Interestingly to note about the Virunga Volcanoes is that they are habitats to a range of the world’s endangered species including the critically endangered Mountain gorillas that form the basis for gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda and the rare and endangered golden monkeys also famously encountered on golden monkey tracking activity. The Virunga range has been gazetted as a protected area by each country establishing a national park on the side that belongs to her territory. For example, the Ugandan side was gazetted as Mgahinga National Park; the Rwandan side was gazetted as Volcanoes National Park while the Democratic Republic of Congo was gazetted as Virunga Mountains. This has not only ensured the thriving of various species that find a refugee in these mountains but also has ensured the continued existence of these scenic landscapes whose fame has prompted travellers to plan safaris to Uganda and Rwanda.
Uganda safaris/Uganda safari News
Prime Uganda safaris & Tours Ltd safari News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHERE CAN YOU FIND & SEE GORILLAS IN UGANDA AFRICA?

Image
Uganda has only two national parks where one can see gorillas i.e Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and this is where g orilla trekking in Uganda is done to search and find  the rear endangered Mountain Gorillas . With about 1063 mountain gorillas that still exist on earth today, Uganda is home to more than half of all these endangered Great Apes making it one of the only 3 countries in the world where mountain gorillas live and Uganda gorilla tours are only done in there two national parks. Uganda has 20 gorilla families that have been habituated and already set for tourism purposes , 19 of which are tracked/found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and only 1 is found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one  of the places where you can see Gorillas in Uganda Africa. The appropriately named Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (also called “The Place of Darkness”) is the world’s premier gorilla t
Read more

Mountain Gorilla Behavior,Diet,Threats and Predators

http://www.primeugandasafaris.com/gorilla-safaris/5-days-uganda-gorilla-safari.html Behavior  Although strong and powerful, gorillas are generally gentle,shy ,retiring rather than ferocious and treacherous . They live in groups of 2-40 individuals, averaging about 11. Groups are led by a dominant male, the Silverback, named for the silvery gray hairs that grow when the male matures. The Silverback serves as the chief leader and protector of the group, to whom all group members defer. He decides when and where to go, rest and sleep, arbitrates disputes among his family members and protects them from rival Silverbacks or human predators. Gorillas usually seeks no trouble but will valiantly defend its family group if threatened. An adult male called a silverback named for the silvery gray hairs on its back normally leads each group, serving as its chief protector and defender. Gorillas
Read more

SHELLEY’S CRIMSONWING; THE BIRDS OF UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

Image
With over 1057 species of birds, the birding safaris and tours in Uganda go beyond the ordinary. Among these species of birds, there is the eye catching Shelley’s Crimsonwing scientifically referred as Cryptospiza Shelleyi. The Shelley’s Crimsonwing is categorized among the estrildid finch species thrives in closed canopy moist forests, close to water valley bottoms, low secondary growth at the edges of forests, glades and forest clearings marked by extensive herbs, moorland and Bamboo thickets. The birders on Uganda safaris can explore the Shelley Crimsonwing in the Mountains of the Albertine rift valley including Rwenzori Mountains. This Species stretch to other famous parts in the region including the Virunga Mountains, the Kahuzi Biega Mountain, Itombwe Mountain as explored on Congo Safaris and tours and Nyungwe Forest National Park and Gishwati Mukura National Park as explored on Safaris in Rwanda . Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to the south west of Uganda is
Read more